This invention relates generally to irrigation sprinklers or spray heads, and more particularly relates to a rotating nozzle for a common pop up sprinkler, used for landscape and turf irrigation.
An adjustable orifice sprinkler is known that provides an adjustable arc spray orifice for adjusting a spray pattern angle approximately zero to 360 degrees, and a cap adjustable axially for selectively adjusting the height of the spray orifice, which adjusts the radius of the spray arc. In operation, the top of the sprinkler nozzle moves upward when the arc adjustment is changed. Rotating spray nozzles are advantageous because they typically include a rotor that has a spray deflecting surface with varying characteristics that alter the radius of the spray arc as the rotor rotates, providing for greater uniformity of the spray pattern over a wider spray area. Rotating spray nozzles are also known that utilize fixed spray arcs, and other rotating spray nozzles are known that utilize spray arcs that are adjustable by a user within a range of up to about 210 degrees.
It would be desirable to provide a rotating sprinkler head valve that has a spray arc angle that is adjustable by a user from approximately zero to 360 degrees, and that does not alter the height of the nozzle upon adjustment of the spray arc. It would also be desirable to provide a rotating sprinkler head valve with detents for indicating predetermined spray arc settings, such as 90, 180, 270 and 360 degree settings, for example, with a nozzle orifice that is also adjustable to allow for adjustment of the radius of the spray arc pattern. It would also be desirable to provide a rotating sprinkler head valve with an internal mechanism that flushes debris from the rotating sprinkler head valve during onset of flow or cessation of flow through the valve. It would also be desirable to provide a slip clutch mechanism for the internal spray arc-setting elements to prevent cooperating flags on the elements from breaking in the event a user turns the internal spray arc-setting elements too far, allowing the elements to be turned continuously without breaking. The present invention meets these and other needs.